Senate Confirms Kagan

Updated: Elena Kagan has been confirmed by the Senate as the newest justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The vote was 63-37, reports the Oval blog of USA Today. Only five Republicans voted in Kagan’s favor.

Once sworn in, the U.S. Solicitor General and former Harvard Law School dean will be the fourth woman to sit on the bench of the nation’s highest court.

This will also be the first time three female justices have been on the high court at the same time, reports ABC News.

“Today’s vote wasn’t just an affirmation of Elena’s intellect and accomplishments. It was also an affirmation of her character and her temperament; her open-mindedness and even-handedness; her determination to hear all sides of every story and consider all possible arguments,” said President Barack Obama.

Observers are wondering whether the presence of Kagan, who is renowned for her diplomatic and leadership skills, on the supreme court bench could reduce the influence of Chief Justice John Roberts, reports the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.).

“She’s smart, she’s experienced as a manager, a consensus builder, as someone who’s been on the front line,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) last month after the Senate Judiciary Committee okayed Kagan’s nomination. “She will be an intellectual counterweight to Justice Roberts.”